South Bucks Children’s Book Group
Paws for Thought
Spring 2013Dear Members,
Welcome to the South Bucks Children’s Book Group Spring Newsletter.
We have held some wonderful activities over the past year:
Lots of families thoroughly enjoyed our "Farmyard Tails"stories eventin the lovely setting of Wycombe Museum Gardens over the summer holidays. Plenty of farmyard animals and tractors brought along by the children or made after the stories.
We werereally excited to welcome the amazing author Tamara Macfarlaneto Beaconsfield, for an intimate members only evening. We all had a wonderful time listening to Tamara’s fascinating childhood, growing up in Oxford’s bookshops, to actually owning her very own children’s bookshop “Tales on Moon Lane” in London. Tamara really captivated everyone, with her wonderful series of children’s stories starring “Amazing Esme’s” wildly imaginative adventures.
Last autumn we held a successful event for National Non-Fiction Day, “Flight”. Three amazing speakers brought different aspects of “Flight” to life, from the local Thames Valley and Chiltern Air AmbulanceTrust, to the history of aviation in High Wycombe & model aeroplane aerodynamics, to breath-taking film from the cockpit of a glider flying over snow capped mountains.
We would like to share with you some exciting, book related events and activities for you to enjoy over the Spring & Summer.
Here are some dates for your diary:
During the Easter holidays.
Wed 3rd April 2013
2:00pm to 4:00pm
St John Ambulance Centre, Harlow Road, High Wycombe
Come along for lots of Tiger related stories, craft & fun.
Suitable for children 5 to 10 years old.
Refreshments available & raffle of beautiful picture books, some signed by the author/ illustrator.
Special members price only £3 per child. Non-members £4 per child
For tickets:
Call 01494 440849 or e-mail
As part ofWYCOMBE ARTS FESTIVALthis year and to celebrate the Federation of Children’s Book Groups National Share-a-Story Month, we are really excited to welcomeTamara Macfarlane, wonderful author of “Amazing Esme”, for two brilliant sessions. Firstly join Tamara and her infamous sidekick, leading children’s comedian Gilbert Gigglesfor
“Tales from Moon Lane – The Circus”
“Step right up for the greatest show at the festival!”
“Be amazed by unicycling, confused by juggling and, if you are feeling brave enough, attempt some plate-spinning. And for the finale, discover how to build a story of your own through Gilbert’s catastrophic antics and Tamara’s tales of bad-mannered tea parties. Not for the faint of heart or people of a grumpy disposition.”
Interactive Circus Story Telling
Sat 18th May
11am - 1pm
St John Ambulance Centre, Harlow Road, High Wycombe, HP13 6AA
Suitable for children aged 6 to 10 years.
“Amazing Esme” book sale and author signing.
Special Members price only £4 per child (accompanied)
Tickets call: Janice Saunders 01494 440849 or e-mail
Inspirational Creative Writing Workshopwith acclaimed children’s author of “Amazing Esme” and award winning bookshop owner Tamara Macfarlane.
“Growing Stories”
Wonderful Tamara Macfarlanewill also be leading an afternoons entertaining, character building writing workshop to inspire writing for fun.
Discover how to build a story of your own with Tamara’s tales of bad-mannered tea parties, helter-skelter penguins and fairground circuses. This fun-filled event will inspire you to create your own fantastical characters with realistic settings and eccentric plot twists for endless adventures.
Miss it and you’ll miss out!
Inspirational Creative Writing Workshop
Sat 18th May
2:30 – 4pm
St John Ambulance Centre, Harlow Road, High Wycombe
Suitable for young people aged 10 years up.
Special Members price only £3 per young person.
Refreshments available
Tickets call: Janice Saunders 01494 440849 or e-mail
You are most welcome to join us for our summer holidays
“Colour Themed”
Stories in Wycombe Museum Gardens
In August
2:30pm
Bring your friends, a rug and a picnic for a lovely afternoon of stories, for younger children, followed by a paper craft activity.
Do enter our Raffle for beautiful picture books prizes, some signed by the wonderful author/illustrator themselves – what amazing prizes!
Autumn Term Event
Wildlife Event: Brilliant Botany - the fascinating world of PLANTS.
In celebration of the 3rdNational Non-Fiction Day
come and join us for some amazing autumn term fun and be fascinated by the wonderful world of nature.
Saturday 12th October
2:00pm – 4:00pm
St John Ambulance, Harlow Road, H.W,
Suitable for 7 – 13 year olds.
Refreshments will be available.
Non-fiction new book sale.
Book Swaps
Watch this space for dates of our forthcoming Book Swaps.
Hughenden, King’s Wood, Disraeli and Mary Towerton Primary Schools are all hoping to host book swaps soon.
Ash Hill Primary School and High Wycombe Church of England Primary School hope to hold their regular book swaps in the Autumn term, after school at 3:15/3:30pm.
Book swaps are a great way for good condition second hand children’s books to be exchanged for other wonderful books your children haven’t yet read.
If you can’t get to the book swaps, SBCBG are always happy to collect any children’s books you may like to donate?
Would your local primary school like to host a book swap?
Please get in touch with us for further information.
We also look forward to Stories Under the Apple Treeas the Spring weather improves.A wonderful way to listen to amazing stories, gathered together in a delightful garden setting,
Bedtime Storiesare a wonderful way to gather a small group of children in the comfort of a front room for a lovely cosy evening of hot chocolate and stories before going home to bed. If you or a friend would like to host your own Bedtime Stories evening, for your own children and their friends, please contact me for information for a simple, yet delightful time for sharing stories.
A very big THANK YOU to all the children and schools in the High Wycombe area which participated in voting for the Red House Children's Book Award.
Lots of wonderful volunteers, teachers, assistants and parents all helped read the delightful picture books to Younger Children while keen Younger Readers and Teens read the shortlisted titles for themselves and all the children voted for their favourites.
Winners of the Red House Children’s Book Award 2013 have now been announced!
- Younger ChildrenSpooky Spooky House by Andrew Weale and Lee Wildish
- Younger Readers Gangsta Granny by David Walliams, illustrated by Tony Ross
- Older Readers The Medusa Project: Hit Squad by Sophie McKenzie
This years’ final overall Winner judged entirely by children was:
Spooky Spooky House by Andrew Weale and Lee Wildish!
Congratulations too everyone involved, especially the winners!
Next year’s shortlist will be announced later this autumn for your children’s reading delight, when they can help choose a winner.
Would your local school like to take part, so lots more children can enjoy these excellent titles and place their own votes too? Please get in touch with us to find out how.
Red House - The Home of Children's Books
Red House specialises in selecting the best books for children of all ages. From board books and picture books for sharing with little ones, to adventure stories and reading scheme sets to encourage young readers and fantastic teen fiction from bestselling authors, you'll find it all here.
South Bucks Children’s Book Group AGM
On Friday 26th April, 7pm
At 3 Wordsworth Road, High Wycombe, HP11 2UT
(Tel: 01494 638100).
This is a lovely opportunity to celebrate all the fun events we have run over the past year and to think of any new ideas for the following year. All members are most welcome to come for coffee & cakes and to share any suggestions, big or small for the future ofyour local children’s book group.
“Babbleabout”
A brilliant local website which shares our passion for children’s books, for both learning and play. This is a fantastic resource for books, games, activities, ideas and suggestions, especially over the summer holidays, with a really useful subject or age search index.
So for inspiration for local bookshops, websites and places to visit, click on
You can also add your own favourites so everyone can enjoy book related treasures!
Local Independent Book Shop
Following the sad closure of several local independent bookshops over recent years we are very pleased to tell you about Gerrards Cross Bookshop. Please see their details below and visit this wonderful local gem. A great place to browse for the latest book releases or that special title.
We very much look forward to seeing you and your friends at our events. Please pass on this newsletter and our events information on to everyone you know. We wish you all a lovely, fun book filled year.
Regards
South Bucks Children’s Book Group – bringing children & books together.
Welcome to The Gerrards Cross Bookshop.
The Gerrards Cross Bookshop prides itself on personal service and speedy delivery service. Most items ordered one day are delivered the next. You are welcome to contact us with your ideas and suggestions. Above all we want the Gerrards Cross Bookshop to be at the centre of the cultural life of Gerrards Cross, serving the community of which it is a part.
Call in and talk to Janet Stewart, our manager or any of our knowledgeable staff. Explore the website to see what you can expect to find in the shop.
Address;
12A Packhorse Road
Gerrards Cross
Buckinghamshire
SL9 7QE
Telephone;
01753 885 429
E-mail;
Opening Hours;
Mon - Sat: / 9.00am - 5.30pmSun: / 10.00am - 2pm
Click here to visit the website of our
sister shop in Chorleywood.
Proud to be independent and a strong commitment to service. Enquiries dealt with by friendly, knowledgeable staff.